Giveaway

13 May 2009

Susane Colasanti Top Ten Myths Tour: Stop # 9

Susane Colasanti is stopping by today and does she have interesting things to say and she is giving away a signed copy of her new book Waiting for You!
Myth #9. No one understands you.False. You are not alone. There are people who get you. They may not be your friends. You may not even know who they are yet. But they exist.
People tend to keep pain to themselves. They cover up how they really feel so that they can blend in. That’s why it seems like everyone’s happier than you. They’re not. They hide behind fake smiles and tell you they’re fine so they can make it through the day. Sometimes it’s hard to tell who’s feeling your pain. Just know that we all do. On days when I felt so alone, I would wish for a soul mate to come into my life so I could finally feel like someone gets me. Even though it was hard all those years before I met people I finally connected with, I believed they would come into my life. That belief kept me going.
Since then, I’ve learned that while everyone’s experiences are unique, we pretty much all go through the same things. Heartbreak, suffering, loss, humiliation, failure, regret. These feelings are universal. We are all connected in these ways, plus so many others that we don’t even realize. So people who get you are out there. Eventually, you will find them.
1.Is writing a lonely chore? Well, compared to teaching it’s very different. As a teacher, I was used to being surrounded by kids every day. There was no down time. Now that I work at home, I can take a break when I need to. So it’s definitely a more relaxing job. And yes, it’s lonely sometimes. I’ve always been a person who loves my alone time, but that used to balance out not even having a few minutes to myself during the day. Most days zoom by so quickly that I don’t have time to feel lonely at all. As long as I’m social at some point each day, I don’t feel lonely.
2. Why do you think the YA genre is exploding?When I was a teen, the selection of young-adult books was pathetic. There were only a few good writers getting published. In fact, the teen section in bookstores didn’t even exist! We just had a shelf or two in the children’s section. I’m so happy that teens today have an amazing variety of books to read. So many awesome YA authors are out there!
I think the boom in teen books is a result of more authors choosing to write for teens, combined with the realization that teen readers are a hot market. It’s extremely important that people become lifelong readers, a habit that begins to form when they’re young. Therefore, it’s a socially responsible choice to provide more books for teens. Media is also a factor. The world is very different now. We can exchange information online in a way that was impossible when I was a teen, which makes promoting books a lot easier.3. Do you ever feel like giving up writing?No way! I love my job! Plus, I’m just getting started. You will be seeing many more books from me.
Please comment here to enter (US only) for a signed copy of her book WAITING FOR YOU.
Susane Colasanti is the author of When It Happens, Take Me There, and Waiting for You. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree from New York University. Before becoming a full-time author, Susane was a high school Physics and Earth Science teacher for almost ten years. She lives in New York City.
You can find out more about Susane at her website, www.susanecolasanti.com.

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Comments:

Another great myth from Susane. What she pointed out was so true. The thing was that we are too caught up in our problem that aren't aware of everyone, therefore, jump the conclusion that no one understands us.

Love the myth! I am glad that YA is such a popular genre now. I agree with what she has to say. When I grew up, there wasn't alot of good YA out there. I'm glad today's teens have some great books to read. Thanks for the interview, Laura, and for the giveaway.

I love this myth because I wish I knew this in HS. Sometimes I wish I knew it now and I am well removed from HS. I am loving this tour and can't wait to read the booksports dot erikalynn at gmail dot com